Ferrari made ‘interesting’ unseen change to Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s cars in Barcelona

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Ferrari introduced the most upgrades by any team at the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix with eight, yet the team’s changes for the SF-26 did not actually end there.

While Formula 1 teams are nowadays obliged to declare any aerodynamic updates ahead of the race weekend, Ferrari debuted a few bonus changes to the cars that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc raced in Montmelo that the Scuderia did not have to let the FIA know about.

One of those bonus updates was the introduction of Ferrari’s new rear wheel rims that BBS designed to help limit the high temperatures from the SF-26’s brakes radiating into the tyre carcass. But Ferrari even modified the SF-26 in ways that their rivals would not see in Spain.

Lewis Hamilton is now only missing a Grand Prix pole position for Ferrari 🏆 Predict when it will come?

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Ferrari made under-the-body changes to improve the SF-26’s cooling in Barcelona

On the weekend that Hamilton took his first win for Ferrari in Barcelona, Formula1.it reports that the Scuderia made ‘interesting’ changes under the bodywork of the SF-26. Engineers at Ferrari have found ways to reduce the number of cooling vents needed to keep the car cool.

READ MORE: Top 10 drivers to race for Ferrari in Formula 1, ranked

Earlier in the season, Ferrari needed to open their rear bodywork more to cool the car. But a new approach has been discovered, which allowed the Scuderia to close those vents for the Barcelona-Catalunya GP. In turn, it ensured the SF-26’s bodywork was even more efficient.

Ferrari’s entire visible upgrade package in Barcelona was designed with efficiency in mind in their search for more downforce. The Scuderia made a cohesive effort to debut a new front wing, nosecone, sidepods, floor and rear diffuser at once as each part supported the others.

F1 paddock thinks Ferrari’s Barcelona upgrades were three times better than expected

Formula1.it adds that Ferrari only anticipated gaining 0.2 seconds overall with their upgrades at the Barcelona-Catalunya GP, which Hamilton’s data from the Japanese Grand Prix back in March directly contributed to. Yet F1 paddock figures believe their gains were a lot higher.

Some in the Barcelona paddock estimate that Ferrari’s upgrades improved the SF-26’s pace by as much as 0.6s per lap, given that Hamilton would have likely won the Grand Prix with or without the late virtual safety car period – during which he pitted and still retained the lead.

Hamilton’s race pace on a three-stop strategy and with Ferrari’s upgrades likely would have been too much for Mercedes rivals George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli to handle in a straight fight to the finish. Ultimately, the seven-time F1 champion beat Russell by 19.561s.

How much Antonelli could have closed that deficit had the Italian not retired shortly after he took second place away from Russell is anyone’s guess. But as Ferrari now plan to debut an upgraded engine in Austria, the SF-26 may soon become a genuine force on any circuit type.